SparkPeople Community Director and Fitness Coach
Jen Mueller left her first career in corporate finance to earn a master's degree in health education. She is a busy mom of four and holds a number of fitness certifications (including ACE's Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist and Behavior Change Specialist). She is passionate about helping people reach their health and fitness goals. In her spare time, Jen loves running, kickboxing and spending time with her family. Jen enjoys blogging about raising healthy children and how small behavior changes can impact health and quality of life.
Read More of 's Blogs:
Exercise: The 12-Hour Antidepressant
We've all heard that exercise can help boost your mood, but a new study shows that the effects might last longer than previously thought. A study from the American College of Sports Medicine found that exercise could improve your mood for up to 12 hours (instead of just the hour or so that's been documented by earlier research).
Posted 6/5/2009 2:13:20 PM By: : 244 comments 28,430 views
The Secret to Staying Sharp as We Age
If you're lucky enough to live a long life, you hope it will be a healthy one. Diet and exercise are important for keeping your body in good shape. But what's the secret to keeping your mind in good shape too? Researchers are studying people who have lived past 90 without any signs of dementia, and what helps preserve their mental sharpness.
Posted 6/2/2009 3:00:59 PM By: : 98 comments 17,447 views
Finding Balance: Can You Have It All At Once?
This is the fourth in a series about how to find the balance between work, family and your own health and fitness goals. Click here to read the first blog entry in this series.
I don't think she's the one who originated this quote, but I once heard Oprah Winfrey say "You can have it all. You just can't have it all at one time." She was referring to balancing your time between being a wife, mother, career woman, etc.
Posted 5/29/2009 10:06:09 AM By: : 88 comments 14,793 views
Do P.E. Classes Really Matter?
As funding is cut and schools face pressure to meet more rigorous testing standards, physical education classes are often the first thing to go. Many argue that the lack of P.E. is one reason for the increasing rate of childhood obesity. But are P.E. classes as important as you'd think when it comes to the health of our children? A new study says no.
Posted 5/22/2009 6:08:12 AM By: : 321 comments 95,805 views
Kate Winslet's 'Chubby Childhood'
Kate Winslet has enjoyed a lot of recent career success, and is often at the top of "best dressed" lists for her fashion and style. She is proud of the fact that she has curves. She isn't afraid to show them off in form-fitting dresses or in a partially-nude photo shoot for Vanity Fair, but comments about her figure haven't always been positive.
Posted 5/19/2009 9:09:11 AM By: : 87 comments 18,302 views
Eat This to Burn 50% More Fat When Working Out
A new study in The Journal of Nutrition shows that what you eat beforehand could affect the calorie burn during your workout. Women who ate a breakfast high in low-glycemic index carbs (whole grain breads, low-fat yogurt or non-instant oatmeal, for example) burned 50 percent more fat in a post-breakfast workout than those who ate a breakfast of high-glycemic index carbs (cornflakes, white bread or waffles, for example.)
Posted 5/15/2009 10:16:52 AM By: : 143 comments 33,375 views
Study Shows 5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 90%
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health shows that the majority of new cases of diabetes in those over 65 could be prevented by modest changes in lifestyle. We've always known that type 2 diabetes is a disease that can largely be prevented by doing things like eating right and exercising regularly. But this study demonstrates that there are 5 lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk by as much as 90%.
Posted 5/12/2009 6:00:00 AM By: : 94 comments 27,749 views
Confession: Motherhood Has Changed Me
With Mother's Day approaching this weekend, I've been thinking a lot about my fitness goals and how much they have changed over the past 2 ½ years. My reasons for staying healthy and my personal definition of fitness are a lot different than they used to be. I was a hard-core runner who felt like it was a waste of time to run any less than 6 miles during a workout. That's no longer the case, which honestly, has been hard for me to accept sometimes. But when I think about what I've gotten in return, it's a trade-off I'm lucky to have made.
Posted 5/8/2009 8:55:06 AM By: : 67 comments 25,185 views
Could the Pill Be Affecting Your Workout Results?
If you take the oral contraceptives and are trying to build muscle, a new study shows it could be negatively affecting your results. Researchers studied 73 women between the ages of 18 and 31 who completed a 10-week strength training program. About half of the women took the pill and half did not. The results showed a significant difference in the increase of lean muscle between the two groups.
Posted 5/1/2009 10:16:44 AM By: : 104 comments 24,632 views
Stacy London Promotes Looking Good At Any Size
Stacy London, co-host of TLC's show "What Not To Wear" is known for being critical of people's choices when it comes to fashion. She's even brutal at times when it comes to what's wrong with your wardrobe. But even though she might make negative comments about the shirt you're wearing, she will never comment on your size or tell you that you need to lose a few pounds.
Posted 4/28/2009 2:08:05 PM By: : 299 comments 32,617 views
Kim Kardashian Admits She Has Cellulite
Pick up the latest issue of any women's magazine and you'll likely see a beautiful model or celebrity on the cover. They all have smooth and flawless skin, polished teeth and perfect curves. It's easy to look at those images and become discouraged because you feel like you'll never live up to that standard. But are those images real? Is that how this person would look if you saw them at Starbucks or working out at the gym? Probably not. It's called the magic of "Photoshopping," and one celebrity recently spoke out about what she really looks like.
Posted 4/24/2009 2:03:38 PM By: : 170 comments 21,085 views
Even One "Cheat" Day Could Hurt Your Weight Loss Efforts
When you're trying to change your eating habits and become healthier, it's important not to totally deny yourself the foods you love. You probably can't continue eating pizza 5 nights a week, but you can still enjoy a slice now and then. Just because you have a healthy diet doesn't mean that you never indulge in a bowl of ice cream or slice of pie. I feel like I have a pretty good diet, but I also leave room for the occasional piece of chocolate (okay, maybe more than occasional.)
Some people like to incorporate the foods they enjoy into their daily menus. But others like to have "cheat" days, where they stick to a plan during the week, and then eat whatever they'd like on the weekends (for example). But a study in the International Journal of Obesity showed that people who ate a consistent number of calories all week long were 50% more likely to maintain their weight than those who stuck to a stricter plan Monday through Friday.
Posted 4/21/2009 5:46:48 AM By: : 680 comments 108,180 views
Would a Soda Tax Help Fight the Fat?
With the increase in obesity rates among young people and adults, policy makers are always looking for ways to discourage the excess consumption of unhealthy foods. One idea that's getting been getting attention in recent months is food taxes. According to a new report in the New England Journal of Medicine, "Even if one quarter of the calories consumed from sugared beverages are replaced by other food, the decrease in consumption would lead to an estimated reduction of 8000 calories per person per year — slightly more than 2 lb each year for the average person."
Posted 4/17/2009 6:13:12 AM By: : 354 comments 20,094 views
Can Water Fountains Help Fight Obesity?
A new study published in the journal Pediatrics shows that installing water fountains in schools can have a direct impact on childhood obesity rates. Surprised?
Posted 4/14/2009 5:57:10 PM By: : 103 comments 17,613 views
Family Eating: Dealing With the Picky Eater
This is the third in a series about eating healthy as a family and the challenges that can come along with it. Click here to read the first blog entry in this series.
Growing up, mealtime was often a source of stress for my mom. She always liked to experiment with new (and sometimes very unusual) recipes. My dad's nickname was (and still is) the "human garbage disposal" because there are only a small handful of foods he wouldn't eat. He was always willing to try something new, but my sister and I were a different story. When she cooked an unfamiliar dish, we'd take one look at the plate and say "I'm not trying that." Or we'd need a detailed explanation of every ingredient before we'd let the food touch our lips. Now that I cook for a family of my own, I can see how frustrating that was for my mom.
Posted 4/10/2009 2:06:21 PM By: : 69 comments 11,892 views
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